diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..97bc43a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import datetime
+from os import path
+from getpass import getuser
+import os
+from datetime import timezone
+import sqlite3
+import sys
+from typing import Optional, Tuple, TypeVar
+
+BOTANY_DIR = ".botany"
+
+dt = datetime.datetime
+
+def now() -> dt:
+    return dt.now(timezone.utc)
+
+# flavor dict keys
+# - color
+# - rarity
+# - species
+# - mutation
+PLOT_SCHEMA = """
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS plot (
+    -- Each row is a plant
+    id         INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    created    TEXT DEFAULT (strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M', 'now', 'localtime')),
+    watered    TEXT DEFAULT (strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M', 'now', 'localtime')),
+    generation INTEGER,
+    flavor     JSON
+)
+"""
+
+VISITORS_SCHEMA = """
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS visitors (
+    -- Each row is a visit from another user
+    id   INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    name TEXT,
+    when TEXT DEFAULT (strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M', 'now', 'localtime')),
+)
+"""
+
+# TODO code for generating a global garden database (finds all most recent plants for users on system and fills a sqlite3 db with computed values)
+
+def mkdir(p: str) -> Optional[Exception]:
+    if not path.isdir(p):
+        try:
+            os.makedirs(p)
+        except Exception as e:
+            return Exception(f"failed to create {p}: {e}")
+    return None
+
+def mkdb(p: str, sql: str) -> Optional[Exception]:
+    try:
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(p)
+        c = conn.cursor()
+        c.execute(sql)
+        conn.close()
+    except Exception as e:
+        return Exception(f"failed to initialize {p}: {e}")
+    return None
+    
+
+def setup() -> Optional[Exception]:
+    bdir = path.expanduser(path.join("~", BOTANY_DIR))
+    e = mkdir(bdir)
+    if e is not None:
+        return e
+
+    dbdir = path.join(bdir, "db")
+    e = mkdir(dbdir)
+    if e is not None:
+        return e
+
+    plotdb_path = path.join(bdir, "db/plot.db")
+    # TODO test manually to see what kind of permissions fuckery we need
+    e = mkdb(plotdb_path, PLOT_SCHEMA)
+    if e is not None:
+        return e
+
+    visitordb_path = path.join(bdir, "db/visitors.db")
+    e = mkdb(visitordb_path, VISITORS_SCHEMA)
+    if e is not None:
+        return e
+    
+    return None
+
+def main() -> Optional[Exception]:
+    username = getuser()
+
+    e = setup()
+    if e is not None:
+        return e
+
+    # TODO restore plant from disk
+    return None
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    ret = 0
+    e = main()
+    if e is not None:
+        print(e)
+        ret = 1
+    sys.exit(ret)